Australia Cover

Australia Cover

Post Marke ; ?

1994 Australia Animals
Koala (Phascolorctos Cinereus)
Face Value ; 45c - 45c
Michel Catalog Number ; 1412 - 1413

The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a thickset arboreal marsupial herbivore native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae.The Koala is found in coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia, from near Adelaide to the southern part of Cape York Peninsula. Populations also extend for considerable distances inland in regions with enough moisture to support suitable woodlands. The Koalas of South Australia were largely exterminated during the early part of the 20th century, but the state has since been repopulated with Victorian stock. The Koala is not found in Tasmania or Western Australia.

1994 Australia Animals
Kangaroo
Face Value ; 45c
Michel Catalog Number ; 1409

A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning 'large foot'). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo of the Macropus genus. The family also includes many smaller species which include the wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons and the Quokka, some 63 living species in all.Kangaroos are endemic to the continent of Australia, while the smaller macropods are found in Australia and New Guinea.In general, larger kangaroos have adapted much better to changes wrought to the Australian landscape by humans and though many of their smaller cousins are endangered, they are plentiful. They are not farmed to any extent, but wild kangaroos are shot for meat, over which there is controversy.The kangaroo is an Australian icon: it is featured on the Australian coat of arms,on some of its currency,and is used by many Australian organisations, including Qantas.